After a deluge of complaints from commuters who were left stuck on freezing platforms during last winter’s cold snap, the Office of Rail Regulator has taken on new powers to protect train travellers.

Companies have been warned that up to 10 per cent of their turnover is at risk if they perform as badly as they did a year ago.

"Rail passengers in Britain today rightly expect to receive reliable information so that they can plan their journeys and make sensible decisions when services are disrupted,” said Richard Price, the ORR’s chief executive.

"This is a fundamental requirement, not an optional 'add on', and we need to do all we can to make sure the railways deliver."

According to passengers, cancelled trains were shown as running on time on indicator boards. Others were shortened without warning.

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At times station staff appeared to have little idea if or when trains were going to arrive, adding to the plight of long-suffering commuters.

The changes will include a requirement for train operators to tell passengers of service changes within 10 minutes of an incident being notified to its control centre.

Transport Secretary Justine Greening supported the changes. "The failure to provide information to passengers during last year's winter's disruption made a bad situation worse for so many passengers,” she said

"I want to see the industry working together and taking all reasonable steps to prevent this from happening again.